PostgreSQL Data Types

Data types like you never saw them before A Whirlwind Tour of PostgreSQL Data Types

What's the great thing about a database? Why, it stores data of course! However, one feature that makes a database useful is the different data types that can be stored in it, and the breadth and sophistication of the data types in PostgreSQL is second-to-none, including some novel data types that do not exist in any other type of database software!

This tutorial will take an in-depth look at all of the native data types built right into PostgreSQL as of version 9.2 (with some peeking ahead to 9.3). We will take a look at the functionality provided with each data type, examples of how they are used both in theory and practice, and of course, best practices that demonstrate the robustness of PostgreSQL.

Some of the data types that will be covered are:

Date / Time (which the presenters prefer manipulating in PostgreSQL)

Arrays

Geometric Types

JSON / XML

Range Types

UUIDs

Fulltext Search types

Composite and Custom Typing

We will also demonstrate some data type extensions that are available to the PostgreSQL.